Abstract

Previous studies of suprathermal rotation of interstellar dust grains
are reviewed. Causes and consequences of internal dissipation of
rotational energy are discussed, and consequences of suprathermal
rotation for grain alignment are considered. The statistics of
suprathermal rotation are studied under the assumption that, on a long
time scale, residual torque is a random function of time with a
correlation time that is some measure of the permanence of grain
irregularities. The dependence of the mean energy of suprathermal
rotation and of the mean time between crossovers on correlation time is
determined. The effect of suprathermal rotation on the magnetic
alignment of interstellar grains is also investigated.

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